How It All Goes Down
- Three vampires step out of the woods – Laurent, James, and Victoria. Unlike the Cullens, they appear to be wild and more predator-like. They approach the Cullens, and Laurent greets them in a friendly manner. Carlisle introduces his family – and includes Bella among them.
- Laurent is surprised to hear that the Cullens maintain a permanent home in Forks, and Carlisle offers that they should come visit the Cullen home.
- All of a sudden, James gets a whiff of Bella. No one had mentioned that she was human.
A swift rigidity fell on all of them as James lurched one step forward into a crouch. Edward bared his teeth, crouching in defense, a feral snarl ripping from his throat. […] it was the single most menacing thing I had ever heard. (18.27) - Though Laurent is surprised that the Cullens have "brought a snack" (18.30), he's not in attack-mode. Carlisle says that Bella is with them. James steps back, but he's clearly still interested in Bella.
- Calmly, Carlisle offers to show Laurent, James, and Victoria his home, and tells Edward, Alice, and Emmett to take Bella home.
- In the car, Edward is determined to get Bella out of Forks as quickly as possible, saying, "I saw his mind. Tracking is [James's] passion, his obsession – he wants [Bella], Alice – her specifically. He begins the hunt tonight" (18.69).
- Worried that James will follow Bella's scent to Charlie's house, Bella hatches a plan to lead James away from her father:
"You take me back [to Charlie's house]. I tell my dad I want to go home to Phoenix. I pack my bags. We wait till this tracker is watching, and then we run. He'll follow us and leave Charlie alone. Charlie won't call the FBI on your family." (18.96) - After leaving Charlie's house, Alice and Jasper will take Bella to Phoenix, while Edward leads James on a wild-goose chase in the opposite direction.
- Edward hesitantly agrees to the plan, angry and worried that he'll have to leave Bella's side.